Search News

Distinguished Alumni Honors

Three graduates recognized at annual awards

KENNESAW, Ga.
(Oct 8, 2018) — Three prominent Kennesaw State University alumni were recognized during KSU’s 27th Annual Distinguished Alumni Awards dinner, hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations
and Annual Giving the evening of Friday, Oct. 5 at the Renaissance Atlanta Waverly
Hotel and Convention Center. The event, sponsored by Nationwide, was held in conjunction
with Kennesaw State’s 2018 Homecoming week.

The Distinguished Alumni Award program was established in 1992 to honor KSU’s most
accomplished graduates on an annual basis. A distinguished alumnus/alumna is a person
who exemplifies the ideals and mission of the University; demonstrates distinguished
achievement in his/her chosen field at a local, regional and/or national level; and
embodies the spirit of Kennesaw State’s commitment to community engagement through
service, University involvement or philanthropic endeavors.

Finn, an Atlanta native, earned a Bachelor of Architecture at Southern Polytechnic
State University. He began his career working for the Atlanta office of Perkins+Will,
an interdisciplinary, research-based design firm with 2,200 employees in 25 offices
worldwide. Finn’s experience working on complex architectural projects prepared him
for practice-led research into such topics as facilitating psychotherapy for veterans
with post-traumatic stress disorder, which has been featured by the American Institute
of Architects and the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture. In 2016, Healthcare
Design magazine named Finn as the HCD 10 Researcher, making him the first practicing
architect to receive this distinction.

Since October 2016, he has served full time as founder of Cognitive Design LLC, an
Atlanta-based network of experts that provides consulting, design and research services
for projects to improve human health and wellbeing. Ongoing and recent projects of
Cognitive Design include a 10-acre master plan focused on reducing social isolation
in rural communities; design guidelines for improving quality of life for low-income
seniors in Mercy Housing; consulting with the National Collaborative on Childhood
Obesity Research on how design can reduce childhood obesity in America; and the renovation
of a 1910 Southern School Book Depository into Constellations, a shared workspace
that supports small business and entrepreneurs in the historic Sweet Auburn neighborhood
of downtown Atlanta.

“I’m forever thankful for my architectural education, not only because it empowered
me to become an architect – which it did well as a five-year professional program
– but also because it was a generalist education,” Finn said. “By earning my diploma
in architecture, I learned about things like engineering and craftsmanship, public
policy, cultures different than my own, and generally speaking, about empathy. These
lessons have proven of great value in my life, reaching far beyond the classroom and
my work.

“The years I studied at SPSU shaped how I think about design and my career path. It
encouraged me to remain humble and follow my passion toward a career of lifelong learning.
My classmates were awesome; we encouraged and supported each other to do our best
work. My best friends from those formative years are still my best friends today;
we support each other in our careers and also as husbands and fathers.”

Higginbotham is another graduate of the former SPSU who received his Bachelor of Science
in mechanical engineering technology. Earlier in 1982, he received his machinist and
toolmaker certificate at Lanier Area Vocational-Technical School (currently Lanier
Technical College) in Gainesville, Georgia. Higginbotham, a Marietta resident, has
been a generous donor to KSU’s Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering
Technology, the Motorsports Formula SAE Team and Georgia BEST Robotics. After serving
as chair of the SPSU Foundation from 2012-13, he remained as a trustee of the board
of directors at Southern Poly and then Kennesaw State until 2016. Higginbotham was
heavily involved with bathtub racing as a student on the Marietta campus and is still
an active member of Sigma Nu fraternity. From his basement, he and his wife Becky
started Higginbotham and Associates Inc. in 1988. Higginbotham formed Marietta X-Ray
LLC in 1999 and Marietta Nondestructive Testing LLC in 2007. Today, Marietta NDT –
with Higginbotham acting as its founder and chairman of the board – is a leading nondestructive
testing equipment provider with a worldwide customer base. Under his leadership, Marietta
NDT currently has more than 70 employees with 40 of them being graduates or interns
from KSU or SPSU. Higginbotham and his company sponsor the annual Pumpkin Launch on
the Marietta campus and were very involved in the startup of the R. Glenn Allen Endowed
Scholarship at Kennesaw State.

“KSU has provided Marietta NDT the engineering technology workforce we needed to become
the leading company we are today,” Higginbotham said. “Engineering technology is the
critical link between engineers and the manufacturing of the product. We simply make
it happen and get our hands dirty.

“The University name has changed but the students and industries that KSU serves are
the same. I look forward to continue supporting the engineering technology programs
at KSU.”

Pendley obtained his Bachelor of Business in accounting with summa cum laude honors
from KSU. At Kennesaw State, he was vice president and then president of the accounting
club (now Beta Alpha Psi), along with treasurer of the Golden Key International Honour
Society. Pendley stays connected to his alma mater and the Coles College of Business
through the KSU School of Accountancy. He has been associated with the school’s advisory
board for 18 years and presently is serving as immediate past chairman.

Outside of his financial support of nearly 15 years, Pendley has helped the School
of Accountancy by securing grants from the Ernst & Young Foundation and being on its
strategic planning committee. He has worked at Ernst & Young LLP for more than 24
years, currently as a partner in its assurance practice while also fulfilling the
role of campus recruiting coordinator to Kennesaw State. In his position at EY, he
serves clients in the services, life science, media and entertainment, distribution
and diversified industrial products sectors. Pendley was on the Media Financial Management
Association Board of Directors and later a member of its advisory committee. He lives
in Acworth with his wife Dawn, also a KSU graduate, and their three children. Pendley
is very active in his local community.

“Since graduating from KSU in 1994, I wanted to find a way to stay connected and was
fortunate early in my career to be given that opportunity through our firm, EY, by
assisting in our recruiting efforts on campus, which have increased meaningfully in
recent years,” Pendley said. “I have enjoyed maintaining and building relationships
with many of the great professors in the School of Accountancy, the College of Business,
the development team and others. While my goal in this service and through our financial
giving was not to receive special recognition, I am very honored and humbled to receive
this award and proud to be counted among the fast-growing alumni of KSU.”

Rich Cole, dean of the College of Architecture and Construction Management, presented
the award to Finn, while Higginbotham was introduced by Renee Butler, interim dean
of the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. Pendley
accepted accolades from Kathy S. Schwaig, dean of the Coles College of Business.

Master of ceremonies for the event was Ashlie Wilson Pendley ’96, ’15, a member of
the Kennesaw State Alumni Association board of directors and a Distinguished Alumni
Award winner herself in 2008. Also speaking during the ceremony were Pamela Whitten,
president of the University; Jim Dunn, interim chief executive officer of the KSU
Foundation and interim vice president for advancement, alumni and development; and
Nathan Humphrey, president of the KSU Alumni Association.

“It was an incredible night, and true privilege to recognize these outstanding alumni
for the significant impact they are having in their professional careers, and more
importantly in their communities,” Humphrey said. “They are a fantastic representation
of what it means to be KSU alumni.”

– Steve Ruthsatz

Photos by Lauren Kress

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 35,000 students. With 13 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the third-largest university in the state. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 92 countries across the globe. A Carnegie-designated doctoral institution, it is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.